Hannah-Scriv thank you for adding my story to your Alerts. BagginsPotterPevensie and larasmith thank you so much for reviewing. I was nearly ready to scrap this story, until I got your reviews. This is a short chapter and the next one will be too, but the one after will be longer.

The next day was bright and sunny. Arthur Pendragon was sitting in his chamber, caught up in paper work up to his neck. This was making him immensely stressed. He wished it could all disappears, but he knew his duty. Merlin was sitting in a chair nearby polishing Arthur's armor very quietly. The warlock's mind was preoccupied with other thoughts, and Arthur didn't like this.

"Merlin, what's wrong with you?"

Snapping out of his trance he looked up at his master, "Sorry, what?"

" You've been eerily silent since yesterday and it's getting on my nerves. Tell me what's wrong or I'll send you to the stocks."

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"

Arthur shrugged with a smirk, "Common Merlin, just tell me."

He ignored the Regent and returned to work. Arthur didn't appreciate being ignored, so he went to pick up the apple on his table.

"If you dare throw that at me, I'll tell Gwen." Merlin pointed a finger at Arthur.

" You wouldn't."

" You want to bet on it? Do you know how many bruises I have from random objects you've thrown at me?"

Arthur admitted, sometimes he did get a bit carried away with the chuck stuff at Merlin game, "You're right, I'm sorry." he said as quick and painlessly as he could.

"Did you just say-"

"Don't," Arthur paused and gave him a glare, " make me change my mind."

Merlin laughed which made Arthur laugh in return. The wizard was relieved how easy it was to get Arthur off track.

Then there was a knock at the door.

"Come in." Arthur projected.

The door creaked open slowly. Both the boys leaned over to see who it was. A couple of blond locks could be seen, and then popped out the face of the Lady herself.

Arthur stood up respectfully, " Vivian, I did not expect to see you. How is your ankle?"

She walked slowly in, relieving the crutch she was using. Arthur immediately went to help her.

"I'm fine," She pushed him away, " Gaius brought this to my chamber so I could move around. I was tired of sitting in my chamber with nothing to do."

That's when Vivian noticed Merlin there. Both of them were very poorly attempting to avoid eye contact with each other. The situation was tense and awkward for both the warlock and the princess.

Arthur was completely oblivious to this all. Sometimes it sort of scared Merlin how dim Arthur could be. He was a great, honorable and noble man, but he could be so darn thick. He was giving a bad name to blonds everywhere.

" Is there something you need Vivian?" Arthur asked returning to his seat.

Her eyes wandered everywhere but in Merlin's direction " I was wondering if Gwen is planning to join us for dinner."

The Regent King sat still, waiting for the joke.

" She's a Lady of Camelot now," Vivian continued keeping her composure, " Is it not appropriate for me to dine with her?"

Merlin didn't know what to think. He couldn't believe that Vivian was actually doing something nice. The people of Camelot loved Gwen, however the nobles found it hard to accept her as one of them. Gwen eating with a princess would defiantly help her standing.

And the thing that impressed him most about this act was that it was selfless. He had complete berated Vivian and told her nothing could come of them. Therefore, how could this be to Vivian's advantage? Sure, he'd have a better opinion of her, but not love her.

" I'll ask her to join us tonight." Arthur was pleasantly surprised, " Merlin, go and tell her to join us."

Merlin exasperatedly stopped polishing, " You just said you were going to ask."

"Yes," Arthur talked to him like as if he were speaking to a child, " You are my servant, therefore I am asking her."

Merlin sulked, " Fine, but afterwards I get to spend time with Gwaine, Lancelot and Eylan."

Arthur frowned, " This isn't a trade deal."

" I'll tell Gwen!"

"She'll side with me on this one!"

She watched as the two bickered. Vivian couldn't last another minute in that room, " I'll see both you and Gwen later, then."

She hobbled away as fast as she could. When she left, Merlin and Arthur turned to stared at each other.

"Well, that was strange." Arthur gave a crooked smile.

" Very."

"I wonder what got into her?"

"Who knows." Merlin was blind to the effect he had on her.

Vivian had been wandering about the castle best she could with a useless ankle. Everywhere she went, everyone was offering their assistant to her which she would sneer at. She wished to she her father, so she trudge along to him.

King Olaf was a busy man. He always had many duties to attend to. However his most important duty was his daughter. When Vivian had sprained her ankle he had visited her no less than ten times, hired five other servants to help her, and two guards to be with her at all times. All which she alluded with the help of her trusty servant Cleodalis...whom she eventually escaped from as well even with a twisted ankle.

Vivian arrived at the front door of where he father was staying and there was a guard blocking her way.

"Princess Vivian!" The guard exclaimed, " You should not be here. I think I should escort you back to your chamber."

Without warning he grabbed her arm which she immediately pulled away from. Vivian had no desire to be pushed around by someone who though he could just because she was littler than him and a woman.

The young lady glared at him, " Excuse me, but what gives you the right to presume where I should or should not be. If you think it your place to order me around, then you are gravely misinformed. If I wish to rome about the castle it is my right to do so!"

The guard gulped. She was very intimidating. Without another word, he stepped out of her way and opened the door for her. When she entered, her father stood up from his desk and went to her.

"Vivian," Her father went straight to her, " What are you doing up? Surely, you could have use the guards I gave to you to take you were you need to go."

" I had Gaius give me this crutch."

"And who's Gaius?"

"The Court Physician." She explained, " He said if I was careful I could walk the halls as long as I didn't take any stairs."

Her father helped sit her down into a chair, " Do not listen to that old fool. Uther has prove he is ill in the head, therefore one can not trust those he hired."

She couldn't follow her father's logic. Uther became sick after his daughter, Morgana, betrayed him; not before. However this was her father. And father's are always right...right?

"Really," her father sighed, " You are too young to be wandering about alone."

She bowed her head in shame, " I just wanted to see you. And the castle is very well secured ... never mind, forget what I said."

He kissed her on the head, " Don't worry about it. You are just a child, I can't expect you to understand such things."

The hurt she felt in that moment burned in her eyes. However, she hid it well and her father would never know how he was harming his beloved daughter.

"Father," Vivian changed the subject, " for dinner the Lady Guinevere will be joining us."

He squinted, " Who?"

" Arthur's love. The one we were talking of before the incident."

"I've never heard of this lady before." Olaf did not take this kindly; for he prided himself on knowing all the important nobles of the household.

" She was just made a noble woman when her brother was knighted. Before she was a servant. Actually, she served me for a bit when I was last here."

At first there was silence. She watched her father's stone dead face mutate into a countenance of disgusted amusement.

"A servant?" He laughed, " Arthur's fooling about with a maidservant; letting her play noble woman!"

The laugher stopped abruptly.

"I shall inform Arthur that neither of us can attend tonight. We shall not be keeping company with bad blood."

She had heard her father say such things before, so it didn't disturb her. She was use to him berating others. However, for the first time she questioned whether he was right.

" I am sorry father," Vivian lightly apologized, " but I am afraid I must attend. I had visited Arthur only earlier and promised him I would come. It would be rude and in bad taste to break that promise."

He father sighed in a vexation, " You must learn not to be so careless. Yet, I suppose your naivety is to blame."

She bit her lip so hard that she felt it might bleed.

Olaf continued, " I suppose you must go, but do not worry my child. You will not have to mingle with her. Just let her understand who is the superior. Now let us get you back to your chambers."

Vivian was soon back in her chambers, wondering if her father would ever come to respect her.

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